The NBA and EA Sports/2K Sports are co-branding. In 1999 the company Sega started a NBA video game under the name NBA 2K series, which was under Sega sports. All of the games have been developed by Visual Concepts. In 2005 Sega sold the 2K series to along with Visual Concepts to Take-Two Interactive. They game is under control of 2K sports which is under Take Two-Interactive. Since the launch of 2k11 they have sold over five million units. After the game success they extended their partnership with the NBA for several more years.
The game was also in the NPD Top Ten six months. In the new agreement with the NBA it will allow 2K Sports to create new opportunities both in the online arena and social media gaming marketplace. 2K11 was the most popular and best selling game in 2K Sports history that’s when the NBA struck a deal to continue with 2K Sports on May 23, 2011. The game has also won 20 awards, including 14 sports game of the year honors. The NBA also came to an agreement with EA Sports, continuing its dual-licensing structure, which has been with the NBA since 1991 and 1995, and is when they launched its cornerstone hoops game NBA LIVE.
Both deals are reported to end after this season. EA Sports didn’t make a game in 2011 when they changed over to call it NBA ELITE and it failed before it was launched. But EA sports redeveloped a game called NBA JAM redoing the old arcade game from the early 1990’s. Both EA Sports and 2K sports have also have had their games on the iPhone and iPads. According to the NBA, Take-Two and EA will each have the rights to use NBA teams and players in their NBA video game titles. Also, the league will work closely with Take-Two and EA to “promote the basketball video games through global marketing, promotional programs, and multiple assets,” including NBA TV, NBA.com, and grassroots events.
The deal really helps EA Sports recover from their failure of retooling the game; consequently they shifted production of the game from its EA Canada studios outside Vancouver to its Tiburon facility in Orlando. For the 2nd year there will not be an EA Sports NBA game because of standard widespread quality control concerns, and because they wanted to improve the quality before it is finally released.